Get Well Soon
by ReadingWhiz89
Summary: Millie is sick in bed. Can Vash and Meryl get along without killing each other? Slight VxM. One-shot. Please review!


Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Trigun. If I did, I would not be writing this story. I would hire a lackey to do it.

A/N: Well, this is my second one-shot. The other one didn't seem to get much attention, but I hope this one does. It is completely original. It has nothing to do with my other stories, _Of the Living and the Dead_ and _Cowboy Bebop Meets Trigun_, but I'd like it if you read them, too! Also, the story itself takes place after Episode 9 (Murder Machine) and before Episode 10 (Quick Draw). Anyway, I hope you like it!

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Get Well Soon

"Well, it looks like you definitely have a fever."

Meryl, Millie, and Vash had arrived in May City on the bus with Nicholas D. Wolfwood a few days ago. Within a day of their arrival and splitting up with the unusual priest, Meryl had noticed Millie becoming less attentive. Her energy seemed tapped, and her usually bright smile seemed pasted on her face. When Meryl asked about it, Millie had merely laughed it off, saying she was just feeling a little off-color.

However, as the days passed, Millie did not get any better. In fact, she got worse. Today, after coming back from grocery-shopping, Meryl found Millie collapsed on the floor. After heaving Millie onto the bed, Meryl immediately found a thermometer to take her temperature. Millie woke up just in time to see Meryl push the thermometer in her mouth and under her tongue. Meryl withdrew it, scrutinizing it carefully.

"I'm fine, Sempai. Don't worry about me." Millie coughed several times.

"Don't be ridiculous, Millie. You have a fever of 101.3. You are staying right here, in bed, until you get well," Meryl said firmly.

Millie sighed. She really didn't want to stay in bed, but Sempai was right. She felt so sick she couldn't move. What worried Millie more, however, was what Mr. Vash would do without her to calm Meryl down. Millie knew that Meryl liked Mr. Vash, but even Meryl herself didn't know that yet. The two of them bickered constantly, or, more accurately, Meryl yelled at Vash while he cowered in terror. How were Vash and Meryl supposed to cope without Millie to keep them from killing each other?

"Alright, Sempai."

"Good," Meryl said in a business-like tone of voice. "Now, I'll need some cold water, a rag, and soup for you. Wait," Meryl paused, putting her ear to the door. "What's that?"

A creaking sound was coming from the hallway.

Meryl slammed the door open. "And just _where_ do you think you're going, Mr. Vash?"

Vash tripped over his own feet at the sound of Meryl's voice. He fell flat on his face, his limbs spread out in weird angles.

"Ow," he whined.

"I'm waiting for an answer, Mr. Vash."

Vash pushed himself into a sitting position, rubbing his aching nose. He stood up and faced Meryl, dreading what was about to come. Even though he was taller than her by a foot or so, there was something about the tiny woman that was just downright scary.

"I was...um...going out to...um..."

"No. You're staying here."

"Wha-?"

"Millie is sick, and I need help taking care of her."

"But I have to..." Vash trailed off at the look on Meryl's face.

"NO! YOU'RE STAYING HERE TO HELP ME! YOU FREE-LOADER! THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS HELP ME TAKE CARE OF MILLIE! NOW GO GET ME SOME COLD WATER AND A CLOTH!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Vash scuttled off to the kitchen.

Meryl sighed and went back into Millie's room. He was so impossible. She was surprised to see Millie staring at Meryl, a knowing look on her pale, sweat-slicked face.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing, Sempai," Millie said serenely, before coughing some more.

"I hope that broomhead can get back up here without making a mess of things," Meryl muttered.

Suddenly, both women heard a crash and a screech from the stairway in the hall.

"What has he done now?" Meryl exclaimed, exasperated.

Meryl opened the door, only to be greeted by the sight of the pathetic, gangly, crimson-garbled idiot known as Vash the Stampede. Apparently, on his way up the stairs, a black cat had gotten under his feet, causing him to lose his balance and tumble down the stairs. The water in the bucket he had been carrying up had spilled all over, but especially on Vash. His red coat was soaked. He actually looked rather comical, sitting at the bottom of the stairs, drenched in water with the bucket on his head.

"Vash! Can't you do anything right? Look at the mess you've made!"

"Sorry," Vash mumbled.

"Now, wipe up that water and bring another bucket-full. Make sure you don't spill it next time!"

"Yes, Mom."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

As Vash began wiping up the water he spilled, he wondered, _How does she do that? How can such a short woman be so intimidating?_

A few minutes later, Vash carefully brought up another bucket of water, careful not to spill a drop. When he finally got up the stairs, he set down the water and knocked on the door. Meryl opened it. She ushered him in.

Vash brought in the water and the cloth and set them down near Millie's bed. He looked at her. She really did look bad. She was so pale, and her face was slick with sweat.

"How are you doing, Millie?"

Millie coughed. "I'm alright, Mr. Vash. It's no big deal."

"She'd say that even if she had a broken leg," Meryl huffed.

Meryl dipped the cloth into the water, squeazed, and laid it on Millie's forehead.

"Millie, I'm going to go make you some soup, ok?"

"Sure thing, Sempai."

"And as for _you_."

Vash gulped.

"_You_ are going to stay here and look after Millie. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Vash squeaked.

"Good," Meryl said in a satisifed tone of voice, as she swept out of the room with her groceries.

"Scary," Vash muttered.

"Aw, it's ok, Mr. Vash. She's actually very nice once you get to know her."

Vash looked at Millie. "We've been travelling around for a while now, and she still doesn't like me."

Millie smiled. "I don't think that's true at all, Mr. Vash. Sempai just has a funny way of showing it."

"Really?" Vash asked, hopefully.

"Sure!"

"VASH!" Meryl's voice thundered up all the way from the kitchen.

Vash groaned. _What have I done _now

"Get your sorry butt down here NOW!"

Vash glanced apologetically at Millie. Millie chuckled.

"Don't worry about me, Mr. Vash. You have enough to worry about right now."

Vash looked at her gratefully before rushing out of the room. Millie chuckled but had to stop when she started to hack and cough again.

"Vash! Why is our refrigerator filled up with donuts?"

"Oh. That. Well, you see, that's kind of a funny story..." Vash began hesitantly.

"I don't want excuses. Just move them someplace else!"

"But where?"

"I don't know where! All I know is that I need room for my groceries so I can make Millie some soup. Now, hurry up and get rid of them."

Vash sighed. "Alright."

A few hours later, Vash was moaning on the couch. He couldn't find anyplace to store all the donuts so there had been only one other alternative. He had had to eat them all. Of course, now he was paying the price with the worst stomach ache he had ever had. Considering that Vash had 130 years under his belt, that was saying a lot.

Meryl marched into the room. She stared at the pitiful sight for a moment before feeling somewhat regretful. She had been rather hard on Vash. After all, he had tried to help today. Since Millie was sleeping soundly, Meryl guessed that she should keep Vash some company.

Vash watched Meryl come in, go out, and then come back in the room. This time, she had a small cup with her. She sat down next to him.

"Here. Drink this." She handed the cup to him.

Vash looked into the cup. The liquid was dark brown in color and smelled like something out of a garbage can.

He wrinkled his nose. "What is it?"

Meryl's eyes flared. "Just drink it!"

"Ok!"

Vash held his nose and downed it all in one gulp. He shuddered. It was bitter and left a rank taste in his mouth. However, his stomach did feel better.

"Who taught you how to make that stuff?"

"My mother." Meryl's eyes softened as she thought of home. "She was an expert when it came natural remedies. She spent a lot of time cultivating a small garden in our backyard. It took her a few years, but she managed to make the soil fertile enough to grow some of the plants for her remedies."

Vash stared at Meryl. This wasn't a side of her Vash usually got to see. This wasn't the short, nagging woman who was constantly berating him. This was someone else altogether. When she wasn't acting like she was constantly irritable, Meryl was actually an attractive woman. Her short, raven hair framed her face perfectly and her violet eyes seemed to glow a little.

Meryl noticed that Vash was staring at her. "What?" she asked in an irritated tone of voice.

"Oh. Nothing. I was just wondering what was in that stuff you gave me."

Meryl's eyes twinkled mischeviously. "You don't want to know."

"Yes, I do. Tell me."

"Well, if you _really_ want to know, it's made of tomas livers and artichokes."

Vash choked and began to gag. Meryl watched with some amusement before slapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"Come on, now. At least it made you feel better."

"That's nasty! You should have told me what was in it _before_ you gave it to me!"

"I would have, but you're such a baby about everything!"

Meryl stood up suddenly and stomped out of the room, shouting over her shoulder, "I'm going to bed, you ungrateful jerk!"

She slammed the door behind her.

Vash gaped after her. _What'd I do?_

The next few days passed in much the same way. Meryl took care of Millie. She often sent Vash on errands to get something that she needed. Vash was supremely grateful for that since Meryl seemed to give him the evil eye everytime he stepped into the same room with her.

When he wasn't helping Meryl with Millie, Vash was playing with the town children. There were a few in particular that took a special liking to him. Meaning, they got him involved in all sorts of games. Namely, they would tackle him. Although this sometimes caused some extreme discomfort on Vash's part, he was happier than he had been in a long time.

About a week and a half after she had first gotten sick, Millie was feeling much better. Although she was still weak from the virus she had had, her fever had gone down to 99.7. The vitality that was characteristic of Millie was returning slowly but surely. Soon after, Meryl began running her own errands, feeling that Millie had recovered enough to be left in Vash's care.

Then, one day, Millie asked Vash to take her outside.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked her, nervously. "I don't want to get in trouble again."

"Don't worry about it, Mr. Vash. I haven't been outside for so long, and I really miss it. Besides, I can heard you and the children playing outside all the time. I'd like to watch you."

"Well, ok. But just for a little while. I don't want your condition to deteriorate."

"It won't," Millie assured him.

Vash helped Millie to her feet, allowing her to lean on his shoulder. He helped her down the stairs. When they got outside, he set Millie down in a rocking chair in the shade of a building.

"Thanks so much, Mr. Vash!"

"No problem," he said, looking around anxiously for any sign of Meryl.

"Hey, Vash!" came several voices.

Vash's face immediately broke into a wide grin. "Hey, guys!"

There were several boys running towards Vash. As a unit, they all tackled him at the same time with shouts of "Get him!"

Millie watched Vash wrestle on the dusty earth with the children. It wasn't long before tears of laughter were running down her face as she watched Vash's limbs being bent in some of the most bizarre angles she had ever seen. His whining and complaining also made Millie chuckle.

"What in the world is going on here?"

Everyone stopped what they were doing at the sight of the short, yet formidable, figure of Meryl Stryfe. Meryl marched over to Vash, who appeared to be trying to play dead. Meryl bent over and grabbed his ear.

"Owowowowowowow!" Vash yelped as Meryl pulled him off the ground by his ear and dragged him over to where Millie was sitting, lecturing him all the way.

"What is wrong with you? Millie is still sick! What did you bring her outside for? You are one of the most irresponsible, idiotic people I have ever had the misfortune to meet!"

"Owowowowowowow!"

"Sempai, don't get mad at Mr. Vash. It was my idea to come outside. He didn't want to bring me outside at first, but I talked him into it."

"That's no excuse, Millie!"

"But really, Sempai, I feel just fine. In fact, I feel better than I have for a long time."

Meryl stared at her friend for a moment, ignoring the whimpers of a certain outlaw whose ear she was still holding. She sighed.

"Alright, Millie. Let me take your temperature."

"I'll go get the thermometer!" Vash volunteered quickly, ready to do anything that could possibly get Meryl to let go of his ear.

Meryl glared at him before releasing her hold on his ear. Vash immediately scampered into the house.

"Wow, Sempai. You sure do know how to motivate Mr. Vash."

Meryl smiled wistfully. "I guess. But sometimes, I wish..."

"Wish what, Sempai?"

"Oh, nothing. Just forget it."

Meryl watched her friend smile knowingly. Meryl raised her eyebrows. Why did Millie always seem like she knew something the rest of them didn't? One thing was certain. Millie's innocent appearance hid her perceptiveness well. Meryl wondered just what it was that Millie knew that she didn't.

Vash sprinted out of the house a few minutes later, clutching the thermometer. Meryl put the thermometer in Millie's mouth again. After waiting a few minutes, she removed it.

"I don't believe it," Meryl muttered under her breath.

Millie's fever had completely disappeared. Meryl couldn't believe it. She even checked the reading two more times before she was finally sure that Millie's fever was actually gone.

"Well, what do you know, Sempai! It looks like laughter is the best medicine, after all!"

"I guess so," Meryl admitted. She looked at Vash. "Um, Mr. Vash?"

Vash jumped at the sound of his name. "Yeah?"

"I just want to, uh, thank you for helping me take care of Millie. I-I really appreciate it."

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it, Sempai?" Millie said, patting her partner on the shoulder.

"No problem. You know you two are my favorite Insurance Girls!" Vash laughed.

"Is that all we are to you, Vash?" Meryl flared up again.

"N-no!" Vash stuttered. "Of course not!"

"Then why did you say it?" Meryl growled.

"I...uh...I gotta go!" Vash shouted before running off down the street.

"Hey! Get your sorry butt back here right now!" Meryl demanded, before she took off after him, shouting about how sorry he was all the way.

Millie shook her head and sighed. Even though they were really stubborn about admitting their feelings, Millie wouldn't trade her two friends for anyone or anything else in the world.

_Well_, she thought happily, _looks like things are finally back to normal.

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